Army chief’s multi-alignment strategy allows Islamabad to engage with US and China without ideological constraints
Field Marshal Asim Munir addresses the participants of the 17th Balochistan National Workshop at the Headquarters. Photo: ISPR screenshot
As the United States retreats from its long-played role as global strategic overseer, the resulting vacuum has sparked a scramble among so-called “middle powers” to reposition themselves in a rapidly evolving global order, and Army Chief of Staff Asim Munir has emerged as one of the most adept players, according to a Financial Times analysis.
In a wide-ranging commentary on the accelerating decline of US global authority under President Donald Trump, the Financial Times argues that while many countries have been unnerved by the speed of Washington’s withdrawal, Pakistan’s military leadership has adapted with remarkable agility.
The newspaper declares Chief of Defense Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir a “top prize” winner among middle power leaders recalibrating their foreign policy to match what it calls Trump’s “casual approach to the world.”
The Financial Times situates Pakistan’s positioning within a broader historical shift, comparing America’s retreat from global leadership to times when former empires lost control after attempting targeted reform.
While China has not rushed to fill the void left by Washington, the Financial Times argues that this has opened space for what it calls “middle business powers,” pointing to Pakistan as the most effective example.
Describing CDF Asim Munir as “the very model of a multi-aligned middle power”, the newspaper points to his ability to move with ease between Washington, Beijing, Riyadh and Tehran.
The Financial Times notes that the reconfiguration has also allowed Islamabad to maintain engagement with the United States without facing the democracy-focused sermons that once accompanied American diplomacy.
This adaptability has frustrated rivals like India, which has been less willing to please Trump and has found the middle power balancing act more difficult than expected, the commentary observes.
